The invention relates to a hose coupling comprising a clip consisting of at least two semi-cylindrical cups enclosing the hose, and a clamping lever which via a bolt is articulated on the free peripheral end of one of the semi-cylindrical cups. To create a non-positive connection between the hose and a sleeve inserted into said hose, the clamping lever can be connected to the other free peripheral end of the corresponding semi-cylindrical cup via a closing spring, with the clamping jaw being fixable on the sleeve in axial direction by means of a flange which is arranged on said sleeve in such a way that it cannot be axially displaced.
Many different types of couplings for hoses are known. Thus a generic hose coupling is known from DE 28 49 880 A1 originating from this applicant.
Furthermore, DE 36 01 093 C2 describes such a hose coupling in which two semi-cylindrical cups are hingeably joined. However this known coupling can only be used for conventional hoses, not for corrugated flexible hoses.
Corrugated flexible hoses are thin-walled plastic hoses with corrugations made of steal that have been vulcanised-in. There are no quick-release couplings available on the market for such corrugated flexible hoses which are increasingly used in industry. Thus the hoses always have to be fixed with relatively expensive screw-connections.
It is thus the object of the invention to provide an armature which is suitable to be used as a quick-release coupling for corrugated flexible hoses. Furthermore it is desirable that the coupling is of simple construction and is economical to produce.
This object is met by a coupling for corrugated flexible hoses according to the pre-characterizing clause of claim 1, characterized in that the clip comprises several semi-cylindrical cups and is configured as a single-piece clamping jaw made of plastic material, with the connection(s) between the semi-cylindrical cups being configured as an integral hinge/as integral hinges, in that the hose is a corrugated flexible hose and in that the semi-cylindrical cups on the inside of the clamping jaw comprise a helical groove which receives the corrugations of the corrugated flexible hose, in this way holding said corrugated flexible hose in a form-fit connection.
According to the invention, a reliable frictional connection between the clamping jaw and the hose is achieved and an armature is provided which can be used as a coupling for extending and/or connecting corrugated flexible hoses. This further enhances the attractiveness of using corrugated flexible hoses. The coupling according to the invention is of simple construction and is economical to produce.
To improve the form fit between the hose and the sleeve, a further teaching of the invention provides for the semi-cylindrical cups in the interior of the clamping jaw to comprise at least one web-like elevation extending parallel to the spiral-shaped groove. This embodiment reliably ensures that the hose end located in the sleeve cannot xe2x80x9cunscrewxe2x80x9d from the clamping jaw.
A further teaching of the invention provides for the flange on the sleeve, which flange absorbs axial tension, to be an annular collar and that the semi-cylindrical cups in the interior of the clamping jaw comprise an annular groove for receiving the annular collar.
In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the sleeve, at its free end pointing away from the hose, comprises a flange which is movably connected to the clamping jaw. In this embodiment the flange preferably comprises a web which comprises an elongated hole through which a bolt reaches, said bolt interconnecting the clamping lever and the clamping jaw. Thus, by connecting the clamping jaw with the sleeve, this embodiment provides a captive coupling.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the coupling according to the above embodiment provides for a flange which is arranged on the sleeve so as to be rotatable but so that it cannot be axially displaced. This rotatability provides the advantage that the sleeve can rotate in the clamping jaw so that prior to closing the coupling, the corrugations of the hose can be aligned in a simple way to the shape of the clamping jaw, without the hose in the sleeve having to be rotated accordingly.
To further improve the seal between hose and sleeve, it is provided for the sleeve to comprise an annular groove in its region encompassed by the hose end, with a seal being inserted in said annular groove, said seal preferably being an o-ring/toroidal sealing ring.
Finally, in order to achieve a long service life of the coupling according to the invention, it is provided for the clamping lever to be made of stainless steel. If the closing spring is hinged to a pin arranged parallel to the bolt, preferably the bolt, the pin and/or the closing spring are made of stainless steel. In this way the coupling according to the invention can also be permanently used in a corrosive environment.
Below, the invention is shown in detail by means of a drawing showing only preferred embodiments, as follows:
FIG. 1A shows a top view of a first embodiment of the coupling according to the invention, without hose, and with the sleeve in its closed position;
FIG. 1B shows the coupling according to FIG. 1A in its open position;
FIG. 2 shows a lateral view, partly opened up, of the coupling with the sleeve in place;
FIG. 3A shows a longitudinal view of the coupling according to FIG. 1A, with sleeve and (partly opened up) hose;
FIG. 3B is an enlarged view of the circle xe2x80x9cXxe2x80x9d in FIG. 3A;
FIG. 4 shows a cross section of the coupling according to FIG. 1A, along the line IVxe2x80x94IV in FIG. 3A;
FIG. 5A shows a top view of a further embodiment of the coupling according to the invention, without hose, in its closed position;
FIG. 5B shows the coupling according to FIG. 5A in its open position;
FIG. 6 shows a lateral view, partly opened up, of the coupling from FIG. 5A;
FIG. 7 shows a longitudinal section of the coupling according to FIG. 5A with hose (partly opened up);
FIG. 8 shows a cross section along line VIIIxe2x80x94VIII of FIG. 3A, of the coupling according to FIG. 1A.